Pulwama terror attack: Mehbooba Mufti appeals Rajnath Singh to provide security in backward area of J-K

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti on Friday appealed Home Minister Rajnath Singh to provide security in the backward areas of the state as minorities are being targeted by the miscreants after the Pulwama terror attack.

"In Jammu and Kashmir, minorities are being targeted by the miscreants in areas like Gujjar Nagar and Bathindi. The Government should have taken precautions beforehand to prevent such incidents. I appeal the Home Minister and Governor (Satya Pal Malik) to look into the matter, and if required Army officers should be deployed in these areas to provide full security to the minority population," the PDP leader said.

Earlier in the day, Mufti took to Twitter and wrote: "Distressed to hear about miscreants in Jammu trying to take advantage of the situation by inciting tension. Guv adm should have preempted this by securing minority dominated areas. Have spoken to IG Jammu to deploy additional security."

"It will be a travesty & against the spirit of our secular ethno-cultural values to use this terror attack as an excuse to target minorities. Hour of the need is to show compassion & come together," her another tweet said.

As many as 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed after a suicide bomber attacked a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district with a vehicle laden with explosives.

The convoy comprised of 78 buses in which around 2,500 personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar - the slain personnel were in a bus which had 42 CRPF men on board.

JeM, a Pakistan-based terrorist group, claimed responsibility for the attack which left the bus extensively damaged in the blast and ensuing gunfire on the vehicle.